Man remembers wife slain in wreck

Rachel Delisle

By CHRISTOPHER THOMAS - Daily News Staff

Published: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at 01:16 PM.

There are several dates in 1st Lt. Jason Delisle’s life he says he’ll always remember. One of them is Sept. 27, the day he earned his wings as a pilot for the Marine Corps, his wife Rachel pinning them onto his chest.

“She was so happy and proud,” Jason Delisle said. “She was a little nervous, too. She was a shy person and she was kind of scared of doing it in front of all those people.”

The shyness was the first thing he noticed about his wife and one of the things he misses about her. Rachel Delisle was one of four people killed in a wreck at the intersection of U.S. 258 and N.C. 53 on Saturday. The other three — Saquan Nelson, 24, of Mapel Hill, his brother Darious Williams and friend Jonathan Cooper — were in a car driven by Nelson at speeds of more than 100 mph when it ran a red light and crashed into the vehcile driven by Rachel Delisle.

“We’re taking it day by day,” Jason Delisle said. “I’m just trying to stay strong for the kids right now.”

Jason and Rachel Delisle hail from Warner Robins, Ga, a central Georgia town approximately 102 miles north of Atlanta. Jason Delisle said the couple met in 2005 while working at a local department store, and he said his wife-to-be would usually keep to herself.

“I’m an outgoing person, so looking back on it, I’m sure it was harder for her to talk to me than it was for me to talk to her,” Jason Delisle said. “It took time for her to warm up, but when she did, this kind, funny personality bloomed out.”

The couple wed on Nov. 9, 2008, and as their marriage progressed, Jason Delisle said he also found his wife to be an “understanding” and “patient” woman, which he said she displayed most while he studied to become an officer in the Marine Corps as well as a pilot. The process, he said, was time consuming and taxing for him and the rest of his family.

There are several dates in 1st Lt. Jason Delisle’s life he says he’ll always remember. One of them is Sept. 27, the day he earned his wings as a pilot for the Marine Corps, his wife Rachel pinning them onto his chest.

“She was so happy and proud,” Jason Delisle said. “She was a little nervous, too. She was a shy person and she was kind of scared of doing it in front of all those people.”

The shyness was the first thing he noticed about his wife and one of the things he misses about her. Rachel Delisle was one of four people killed in a wreck at the intersection of U.S. 258 and N.C. 53 on Saturday. The other three — Saquan Nelson, 24, of Mapel Hill, his brother Darious Williams and friend Jonathan Cooper — were in a car driven by Nelson at speeds of more than 100 mph when it ran a red light and crashed into the vehcile driven by Rachel Delisle.

“We’re taking it day by day,” Jason Delisle said. “I’m just trying to stay strong for the kids right now.”

Jason and Rachel Delisle hail from Warner Robins, Ga, a central Georgia town approximately 102 miles north of Atlanta. Jason Delisle said the couple met in 2005 while working at a local department store, and he said his wife-to-be would usually keep to herself.

“I’m an outgoing person, so looking back on it, I’m sure it was harder for her to talk to me than it was for me to talk to her,” Jason Delisle said. “It took time for her to warm up, but when she did, this kind, funny personality bloomed out.”

The couple wed on Nov. 9, 2008, and as their marriage progressed, Jason Delisle said he also found his wife to be an “understanding” and “patient” woman, which he said she displayed most while he studied to become an officer in the Marine Corps as well as a pilot. The process, he said, was time consuming and taxing for him and the rest of his family.

“I was working at the base full time and going to school full time at the same time,” Delisle said. “I was going at it 60 hours a week while she was taking care of the kids, keeping the house clean and making the meals. When I got my wings, people asked me how I accomplished it with three kids. I always told them, ‘Because I have an outstanding wife.’ There was no way I would’ve been able to do it without her.”

The family moved to Jacksonville in November, and Jason Delisle said the family settled into their new surroundings quickly and easily.

On the day of the wreck, Delisle said his wife was heading to the Camp Lejeune Commissary to pick up groceries. He said she brought their infant son, Gabriel, along since he was still being breastfed. She left at approximately 3 p.m., and two hours later, Jason Delisle said he received a call that destroyed his life.

“I got a call that said my wife had been involved in a wreck,” Jason Delisle said. “They told me Rachel and Gabe had been sent to the hospital and that they were both still conscious. I thought it was a small accident, but as I came across the intersection, I saw all these trucks and police cars surrounding the scene.”

When he arrived, Jason Delisle got the news that his wife of five years had died on her way to the hospital. It was almost impossible to believe, he said. And equally hard to fathom was the news that Gabriel was alive and the extent of his wounds were a scratch on his cheek and bruises on his chest.

“Even though my wife’s passing was a tragedy, the fact that my son lived is nothing short of a miracle,” Jason Delisle said. “After seeing the wreckage of the wreck and knowing he’s OK now, it’s hard not to believe in a God.” Services for Rachel Delisle will be held today at Jones Funeral Home in Jacksonville at 2 p.m. with a visitation period preceding it at the same venue at 1 p.m. She is survived by her husband, her three sons – Michael, Jason Robert Delisle Jr. and Gabriel – her sister Katie Tuinstra and her grandparents – Edward and Mary Frances Logue and George and Ingrid Tuinstra – as well as aunts, uncles and cousins.

A memorial fund has been set up for Jason and Rachel’s children at Marine Federal Credit Union in Jacksonville. To contribute to the fund, visit a branch and ask for the Rachel Delisle Memorial Fund. According to Jason Delisle, no other legitimate funds have been set up on behalf of the family.

Christopher Thomas is a staff writer for the Daily News. To contact him, send an e-mail to christopher.thomas@jdnews.com .